legislative trend – Page 54 – InfoHive

INTERIM: 4 Pros for Self Driving Cars. 5 Legislative Proposals

The benefits of self driving cars:

greatly reduce crashes
reducing congestion
increasing mobility for the disabled
improving land use by converting existing urban parking spaces to other uses

Legislative Proposals:

Public-private partnerships with cities, like Somerville, MA’s partnership with Audi
Legislation needs to address the varying environmental conditions that self driving cars will face
Legislation should assure the reliability of the technology
Legislatures must…

3 Concerns Raised by Residents Against Texas Central Rail

Texas Central partners hosted an open house in Madisonville. Residents let their feelings be heard. Here’s what they said:

“We’re heartbroken, we’re shocked, my sons have been crying and it’s not right,”
“I would be upset about this issue even if it did not directly impact us, because this is the unlawful usurpation of Texans’ property.”
“All we wanted to do is become a part of the community and be left alone, and now we have to potentially fight this,”

Bryan College Station Eagle…

Lege Trend: Moving Forward with Road Usage Fees. 3 Takeaways from 1 State.

How the Fees are moving through Special Commission to Legislature:

A Commission in Washington State is moving forward with pilot programs and statewide recommendations for Road Usage Fees.
Usage Fees are referred to as a “potential long-term sustainable funding source for transportation infrastructure”
A full report to the Washington Legislature is due January 2016.

The road usage fee proposal:

1.9 cents per mile
Average truck/suv = $6 per month
Average Car = $10.23 per month
Average…

INTERIM Lege Trend: Self Driving Big Rigs & Trains. The New Self Driving Car. 5 Effects in Texas. 3 Companies Moving Forward.

Freight movement is entering a new, driverless world. Both 18 wheelers and train cargo are entering a new automated world. The future is now.

5 Ways driverless freight will impact Texas:

it will change the economics of freight shipping
resolve truck driver shortages
reduce the cost of freight shipping
more fuel efficient freight shipping
safer freight shipping

The big truck companies testing driverless big rigs:

Freightliner/Daimler
Volvo
Peterbilt

Forbes | Self-Driving…

Texas & Self Driving Cars. 4 Results from the Laissez-faire Libertarian Approach.

Google cars are maneuvering Austin roadways while Texas’ regulation of self-driving cars is laissez-faire libertarian.

4 Reasons Why the libertarian approach has prevailed:

Texas laws & regulation have no obvious restrictions on self-driving vehicles
Google is frustrated with a year delay in California’s state regulation of self driving cars
DPS is reportedly working with other states on the issue
TXDOT says it is waiting for legislative guidance

Statesman | In Texas, debate…

Slow Self Driving Car Pulled Over

A google car driving 24 miles per hour in a 35mph zone was pulled over in Mountain View, CA when an officer saw the traffic jam the self driving car created.

The self driving car max speed is set at 25mph.

Washington Post | Dr. Gridlock | Google self-driving car pulled over for going too slow

Car Hacking Top Security Risk for McAfee

McAfee Labs 2016 Threats Predictions puts hacking cars as the top security risk, & here’s why:

” rapid increase in connected automobile hardware built without foundational security principles”
In August 2015, a white hat hacker discovered a security flaw in GM Onstar that allowed a hacker to take over a vehicle

Findlaw | Technologist | Car Hacking Tops List of 2016 Cybersecurity Threats

You Betcha. 3 Things Businesses in a Northern State Say About Transportation Funding Sources.

A survey of businesses in Minnesota by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce reveals how these businesses feel about filling that state’s $6 Billion, over 10 year, transportation funding deficit.

The results:

Largely Oppose new taxes even for transportation funding
64% support dedicating a sales tax on automobile parts and rental cars
2nd most popular funding option- fees
- Specifically, increasing license tab fees & dedicating those fees to roads.

Transit Talk (Twin Cities)…

East & West Texas Editorials Support Raise the Gas Tax. 3 Reasons Why.

Both the Beaumont Enterprise and the Midland Reporter-Telegram ran editorials supporting raising the gas tax.

2015 Prop 7 is not enough for transportation funding
The state still needs $5 billion per year for transportation funding
“The only realistic answer is increasing the gasoline tax, which hasn’t changed since 1991”

Midland Reporter-Telegram | Texas highways need more funding, higher gasoline tax